Verdun and Lachine canal night scenes

Here are the last of the weekend paintings, including a neat scene of a freight train going over a low bridge on the Lachine canal. In the background, you see the city skyline with Atwater Market clock tower in the middle-ground and Villa Maria building with its famous sky-light in the background. The train flew by, so I memorized the shape and colour of a few cars, settling on perylene maroon (PR179) for their colour. 

Train city lights canal, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

Yes this dépanneur is called Johnny Dep, clever eh? I renamed it Dep PJD in the painting. A 3/4 moon hung low in the sky against a fairly clear sky. As usual I used indo blue (PB60) and pyrol orange (PO73) for the sky. Painting on the backs of old paintings is tricky due to paper consistency, I am looking forward to getting back to new paper. 

Johnny Dep, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

Here I am standing near the canal, the same spot as for the first painting, and the same spot that I did the famous Night Goose painting. In the background, you see part of the Verdun electrical station, and beside it, one of the towers from the aqueduct water plant. They illuminate the tower with a blue-violet flood light. which I captured with phthalo blue (PB15). 

Aqueduct tower electrical, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

 

Pleasant scenes Lasalle and area

I generally paint what I see while on location, trying to capture the 'ethos' of the area. In the case of Lasalle it was cars, roads, and industrial themes. Not to mention, tons of duplex and triplex housing. Wanting to get away from the din of the highway, I found a path down to Lefebvre park, just a small recreational park with green grass and yellow flowers. The fence had a 'no dogs' sign, or maybe 'no dog heads' sign I couldn't tell from the graphic. At any rate, I changed the fence into a post, and included the fire hydrant to complete the joke. No dogs urinating on this hydrant please! 

No dogs hydrant, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

Next I got down to the riverside, and found this view of a small recreational fishing boat moored on a dock. From this angle, looking west, you could see all the way down the st Lawrence river. 

Small recreational fishing boat, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

After the boat scene, I carried on along the path until Ranger park. Its a river-side park with great views, and plenty of thick greenery. Old asphalt and gravel walking paths wind through the park, which has benches and picnic tables. In early spring, tens of thousands of small 'may flies' congregate here. 

Ranger park green and blue, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

Finally for the daytime paintings from yesterday, I found a disused pier once used for boat launches. Now it hold an 'aquatic police station' which is essentially an outpost for boat rescues. They had a giant pontoon boat with huge motors and some other crafts ready for action. The whole pier section is now open to pedestrians and bikes, so I rode to the end of it, and found this neat metal sculpture. The white-enamel slices were arranged so as to look like beluga whale tails. 

Whale tail sculpture, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026 

Lasalle: cars bridges river

As I toured around Lasalle yesterday by bicycle, there were plenty of cars, highways and bridges to paint. Here is a scene of a complex merge heading onto the Mercier bridge. I was standing on a patch of grass on the Lafleur x Airlie corner. 

Mercier merge, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

 

One of the many streets, Cordner, and a long warehouse in the background. It was rather noisy and unpleasant here so I painted fast. Main thing, there was a walking path going between houses that I could stand on and make this painting. The path leads to Lefebvre park where I made another more pleasant painting, will post on a separate blog.  

Cars long warehouse, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026 

 

The elevated lanes going to Mercier bridge had this tunnel underneath for bikes and pedestrians to get across the neighborhood. Connectivity is important, so that these highway structures don't carve up the neighborhood like they used to in the old days. 

Bridge underpass, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

 

From the same location as the previous painting, I was enjoying the sun and heat finally. You see the two halves of the Mercier bridge on a unique perspective, with a utility trailer parked in the middle. The grass embankments go up to elevated highways. 

Mercier bridge perspectives, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

 

And here you see the st Lawrence river flowing right to left, and the Mercier bridge soaring over to the south shore. 

Mercier bridge river flow, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

Lasalle: more industrial scenes

Lasalle is a typical working class neighborhood, with the sprawling Labatt beer brewery, Fliechman's yeast plant, and numerous light industrial warehouses and factories. In this scene you see the tall Budweiser water tower with a bus waiting at a desolate stop, and the Labatt brewery in the background. I was standing in the middle of the bus depot, it was a large round area paved in old asphalt, grass was pushing up through the edges of the area. There was a cool breeze and sun shining, I was really in my element here. 

Bus depot Bud tower, watercolour 8 x 10" cold press, August 2026

 

Some kind of giant funnel attached to a blue bin, on one of the many factory-warehouses. Its near where I painted the Van Gogh-inspired tree. It was the first painting of the day, there were a lot more to come. 

Factory equipment blue bin, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026 

 

I got a view of the brewery, this part was where trucks could pick up bottles and cans I assume, although it was very quiet there yesterday. Well, quiet except for the never-ending traffic, it was amazing how many cars there were in Lasalle. The iconic Labatt sign was changed to PJD26 using my artistic license.

Labatt sign, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026  

 

Here is a view behind one of the massive brick-red factory complexes. Its the business end, where you see towering power lines feeding into the buildings and train tracks ready for cargo. I'm sure those buildings will be condos one day! 

Power lines tracks factories, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026 

 

Between the tracks and the factories there is a well grown stretch of wild plants including grasses and reeds. It makes for a mini-ecosystem with birds and insects. I contrasted the two elements with a natural bottom half, and industrial top half. 

Power station plant growth, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026 

 

Near the bus stop there was this row of empty truck trailers, lined up and opened to the air. Not sure if they were operational, perhaps when the brewery makes a big order they need more trailers. 

Row of empty trucks, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026  

 

 

Lasalle: Intersection Van Gogh tree

I took a little detour on my bike, turning west on Cordner street in Lasalle. Wide streets were lined with light industrial buildings and old concrete sidewalks. Despite it being Saturday morning there were an inordinate number of cars driving about, one thinks Montreal could have a car-free day or something to give it a rest. At any rate, I found some desolate, almost ominous scenes down in Lasalle like this one of the Leger street intersection with a prominent Van Gogh-inspired tree on the corner. I did a number of paintings today and will post the rest of them later. Duty calls. 

Intersection Van Gogh tree, watercolour 8 x 10" cold press, August 2026

Sundown moon up Peel basin views

Getting down to Peel basin by bike and I caught some views of the sunset near the Canadian maltage company. Pastel blue, orange and purple made a nice combination next to the concrete super-towers. My initials adorned the top of the structure. 

Sunset grain silos, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

 

A crescent moon hung over the highway. Blues, greens, and shadows made for a cool colour scheme. 

Moon up over highway, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026

 

Warm amber light emanated from the setting sun. Lights under the bridge illuminated an outdoor gym. I made good use of orange paint (PO62), with plenty of indo blue (PB60) and burnt yellow ochre (PR102). Dark magenta (PV55) and blue-green (PG7) also add to the pastel-shadowy effects. 

Sunset city under bridge, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2026 

Looking back: London Ontario, seasons, campus, grad club

Looking back through my collection of paintings from 20+ years ago, here is a scene of a fancy building in London Ontario with a slate roof. The snow was melting that day I recall, and the painting conditions were excellent. Its a subtle range of neutral beige, yellow and violet, with stark contrast of sun-lit snow. I had a nice touch back then when things came together. 

Slate roof snow melt, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press

 

A neat composition, with poppies in the foreground and the art building, new at the time, in the background. I did a series of paintings from this location from different angles, probably towards 2003 or 2004 the year I left London for Montreal. 

Poppies art building, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press

 

From a similar location, but back in the tree line, I caught this view looking at the rear of the art building and Middlesex college in the background. The University of Western campus was really well maintained. It looks like Spring time.  

Forest art building Middlesex college,  watercolour 5 x 7" cold press

 

A more detailed view of the iconic clock tower, seen behind green trees, probably a summer painting. 

Middlesex college overcast, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press

 

And one of my favorite places to go, its the grad club... graduate club, not much of a club, rather a pub where students and professors hung out and drank beer on tap. A large tent with many long picnic tables on a large stone patio off the back off the Middlesex college building. Its here that I once bragged to my friends about painting at least 5,000 paintings, to which they reacted with disbelief. And rightly so, by my recent count I was probably only at around 500 paintings by then! Now its getting over 8000, but like 25 years later lol. I'll have to arrange a reunion just to give them a more accurate update, and maybe have a pint. 

Grad club, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press